Contact lenses provide vision correction for many users. The advantages of contact lenses in comparison to spectacle glasses are numerous, including improved performance, convenience, and appearance. However, contact lenses typically require stringent care regimes in order to ensure comfort and avoid ocular infections. Proper care of contact lenses typically requires the consumer to periodically clean, disinfect, and/or rinse the lenses. Cleaning typically refers to removal of lipids, proteins or other matter, which has become affixed to a lens. Disinfecting typically refers to inactivating of harmful bacteria or fungi whenever the lenses are removed from the eye, which is usually on a daily basis. Cleaning typically occurs less frequently than disinfection, with a weekly cleaning regime being most common. Rinsing refers to removing cleaning or disinfecting solutions or debris from the lens before placing the lens in the eye.
Disinfecting, cleaning and/or rinsing of lenses often are accomplished by immersing a lens in an appropriate lens care solution (for example, a single- or multiple-purpose care solution) in a contact lens case. Such lens cases can also be used to store and transport contact lenses between use periods. When it is desired to treat contact lenses, the appropriate contact lens care composition is dispensed from a bottle or container into the contact lens case in which the contact lenses have been placed. Contact lenses are often left in a lens care solution in a lens case for an extended time, such as, for example, overnight or at least several hours. After treatment and rinsing, the contact lenses are ready for wear in the eyes of the user.
The care of contact lenses in this manner can be inconvenient, in that two separate containers (one being the container of lens care solution and the other being the lens case for treating and storing the lenses) are utilized. Because the solution container and the lens case are typically separate components, their organization and portability in-home and out-of-home can be challenging. For example, in in-home situations, separate shelf or counter space is typically required for organizing and storing these components. And during travel, one of the containers can quite easily be misplaced or forgotten. Numerous attempts at improving contact lens care systems have been proposed. For example, systems that combine a lens care solution bottle and a lens case have been suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,940,589, 3,326,358, 4,429,786, Des. 405,260, Des. 404,915, U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,453 and published PCT patent application No. WO 95/34231. However, problems and inconveniences remain with commercially available contact lens care systems in view of storage, portability, convenience and aesthetic appeal.
In addition, known contact lens cases for treating, storing and transporting lenses have been found to present a number of disadvantages. For example, some known lens cases have been found to be susceptible to leakage of the lens care solution, which can interfere with the cleaning and disinfecting of lenses, and allow lenses to dry out such that they become unsuitable for use when needed. Also, many known lens cases have been found to be inconvenient, cumbersome to open and close, and difficult to insert and remove contact lenses to and from their storage wells. And it has been found that many users prefer a lens case that can be opened and closed easily with one hand. In addition, it is generally preferable that a lens case provide secure closure and sealing to avoid leakage. It has also been found desirable to provide the user with some sensory feedback to confirm complete and proper closure.
Because many previously known lens cases are incapable of accomplishing such objectives it has been found that needs exist for an improved lens case for treatment, storage and transport of contact lenses. It is to the provision of an improved lens case meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.